Kim's conditions for nuclear talks a mystery

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Kim Jong-il, the reclusive leader of North Korea, has said his
government is ready to rejoin talks about its nuclear weapons "at
any time" as long as so-far-unrevealed conditions are met,
according to an official Chinese report.

Mr Kim, sometimes known as "the Dear Leader" was reported to
have declared this in a meeting with a visiting Chinese Communist
Party official on Sunday.

Wang Jiarui, the minister-level head of the party's
international department, has been in Pyongyang for the past four
days trying to coax the North Koreans back to the six-nation talks
Beijing is sponsoring.

The six nations - the United States, the two Koreas, Japan,
Russia and host China - held their third session last June. But
intensive diplomatic activity has so far failed to bring back the
North Koreans.

North Korea said on February 10 that it had suspended attendance
"indefinitely" and had built nuclear weapons.

According to a report by the official Chinese news agency
Xinhua, yesterday, Mr Kim said his Government's stance on a
nuclear-free Korean Peninsula and peaceful settlement of the matter
remain unchanged.

"Kim said that the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea)
never opposes the six-party talks, let alone withdraws from the
talks," Xinhua said. It reported Mr Kim as saying the republic
would return to the negotiating table any time, "if the conditions
for the fourth round of six-party talks are met".

So far, the North Koreans have cited the "hostile" attitude of
the US Government and its attitude to regime change in Pyongyang as
the main stumbling block to resumption of talks.

It is unclear whether Chinese envoy Mr Wang mentioned
inducements such as cash payments, or threats such as possible
shutdown of oil and other supplies, to the Korean leadership.

Japan's Kyodo news agency has meanwhile reported the US may step
up pressure on North Korea if China cannot persuade it to return to
nuclear crisis talks. The agency reports US tactics would include
launching an international crackdown on Pyongyang's alleged illicit
activities, including money laundering and drug trafficking. The
aim would be to cut off hard-currency funds for North Korean
nuclear weapons development.